Crocheting apparatus

ABSTRACT

A crocheting frame wherein the frame has a base member provided with a plurality of spaced holes, a pair of elongated rods removably threaded into two of the holes, and a removable spacer member having slotted ends of a width sufficient to resiliently grip the rods, the spacer member being freely slidable along said rods and positionable at any selected distance from said base member. Crocheting of hairpin lace and the like on the frame comprises placing the spacer member a short distance in from the free ends of the rods, making a stitch between the spacer member and the free ends of the rods and with the hook manipulated from one side of the frame, turning the frame with the hook engaged and passed over a rod free end, making a stitch from the other side, repeating the foregoing steps, repositioning the spacer member on the rods by sliding the spacer member and work together away from the free ends of the rod and by removing the spacer member and replacing it closer to the free ends of the rods.

United States Patent 1 Scow 1 Jan. 16, 1973 [54] CROCHETING APPARATUS Prima Examiner-Wm. Carter Re nolds l I L. P.O.B 312,111 Y [76] mentor 2g2 ign Ox 6 cm Attorney-Graybeal, Barnard, Uhlir & Hughes [22] Filed: July 30, 1970 57 ABSTRACT FN- 5 A crocheting frame wherein the frame has a base Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 729,803, May 16,

1968, abandoned.

52 US. Cl. ..66/ 1 A [51] Int. Cl. .....D04b 3/00 [58] Field of Search ..66/1 A, 4

- [56] I References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,438,223 4/ 1969 Linstead ..66/1 A 2,540,383 2/1951 Tillert et al .....66/1 A 1,816,081 7/1931 Fowler ..66/1 A 2,688,859 9/1954 Rice ..66/1 A 2,118,210 5/1938 Luther ..66/1 A 2,454,493 11/1948 Upstill ..66/l A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 15,288 0/1885 Great Britain ..66/1 A member provided with a plurality of spaced holes, a pair of elongated rods removably threaded into two of the holes, and a removable spacer member having slotted ends of a width sufficient to resiliently grip the rods, the spacer member being freely slidable along said rods and positionable at any selected distance from said base member. Crochetingof hairpin lace and the like on the frame comprises placing the spacer member a short distance in from the free ends of the rods, making a stitch between the spacer member and the free ends of the rods and with the hook manipulated from one side of the frame, turning the frame with the hook engaged and passed over a rod free end, making a stitch from the other side, repeating the foregoing steps, repositioning the spacer member on the rods by sliding the spacer member and work together away from the free ends of the rod and by removing the spacer member and replacing it closer to the free ends of the rods.

2 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures CROCHETING APPARATUS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 729,803, filed May 16, 1968, and entitled Crocheting Method and Apparatus, which application is now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention pertains to the crocheting art and more particularly to crocheting frames having open ends.

2. Description of the Prior Art The crocheting of hairpin lace and the like was originally done to produce fine lacework and was stitched on a conventional hairpin. As the technique became popular for larger pieces of work, such as sweaters and afghans, larger frames were required.

As conventionally practiced, the making of hairpin lace involves use of a generally U-shaped frame, also known as a staple, having a U-bend at one end joining parallel legs and having a latch member or link joining and encircling the opposite ends of the legs, such as the latch member in Scott U.S. Pat. No. 2,656,017 and the link 4 in Upstill U.S. Pat. No. 2,454,493. The basic technique for using such a frame or staple is disclosed, for example, at page 22.0f Coats & Clarks Book No. 179 entitled Edgings, and involves successive insertion of the crocheting needle or book from one side of the frame and then the other with the last loop of the work being dropped from the hook each time the frame or staple is turned with the hook reinserted in the loop from the other side of the frame or staple to continue the crocheting.

Certain what-may be termed open-ended frames for crocheting use are known. One such type of frame is shown in Fowler U.S. Pat. No. 1,816,081 wherein the device includes a metal brace engageable with the legs of the framewith end tongues 4 or 9 and end lips 7 or 10 standing out laterally at the ends of the brace. Theprotruding lips 7 or 10 of the Fowler braces inherently present yarn snagging points. The Fowler-patent disclosure is silent as to the manner of use of the frame except as to the indication that the work may be pushed along the side members and the brace temporarily dis engaged from the sides to facilitate movement of the finished work. Consistent with the Fowler disclosure, it would appear that the only practical mode or removal and reinstallation of the Fowler brace, in view of its bent metal form, is to entirely disengage the brace and reinstall it at a new location on the frame, since if the metal brace were slid along the legs of the frame on a continuing basis severe scratching of the legs of the frame would occur.

Another prior patent of interest with regard to an open-ended type of crocheting frame is West Germany Pat. No. 1,076,313, presenting sliders 3 or 10 with protruding and/or leg encircling end portions on the sliders which require the sliders to either be removed by being passed over the open ends of the legs 4 or by disassembly of screw means.

Another form of open-ended frame is shown in Sakurai et al. U.S. Pat. No. 1,691,527 which shows a U- shaped frame formed by a pair of spaced rods terminating at an open end. According to this patent disclosure the stitches are made at the open end of the frame. A spacer bar is secured to a central frame member that permits the spacer bar to be pivoted out of engagement with the spaced rods for sliding completed work inwardly from the open end. This frame is of limited use because the position of the spacer bar along the rods is fixed by the length of the central frame member, and there is no provision for adjusting the lateral spacing of the rods.

Another prior patent of interest is Lindstead U.S. Pat. No. 3,408,223, disclosing certain forms of stitch holders, one form of which involves parallel legs joined by a reverse bend at one end and by a removable connector 15 or 15' near the openable end. In the Lindstead stitch holder, the connector has end slots 18 or 18 which protrude significantly beyond the needle ends 12 and would present yarn snagging configurations even if an attempt were made to use the holder as a crocheting frame.

Another prior patent of interest is Labouret French Pat. No. 385,191, which discloses a crocheting frame of generally U-shape, with a plurality of placements for the legs of the frame to vary the width thereof, but without any removable brace or connector or the like at the open ends of the frame legs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Applicants invention is directed to a specific frame construction which permits movement of the hook over the open end of the frame and thus does not require removal of the hook from the stitch. In particular a readily removable resilient plastic spacer member is provided to keep the rods parallel and is slidably positionable on the rods at any distance from the base. In this manner the work may be produced continuously along the rods and the spacer member slid or detached and moved to various positions along the rods as the completed work progresses. Once the work is being produced it need not be moved until the frame is filled and the rods will be maintained parallel throughout.

The work may be removed from the free ends of the rods. The frame is inexpensive to manufacture and is more versatile than known frames.

Applicants unique crocheting technique involves turning of the frame with one hand and passing the crocheting needle or hook over a rod free end without removing the hook thereof from the stitch and without removing the crocheting needle or hook from the other hand, then making the next stitch by manipulation of the needle from the opposite side of the frame, with the stitch forming procedure being repeatedly performed at alternate sides of the frame, the spacer member and work being slidably repositioned on the legs of the frame simultaneously into different positions without removal of the spacer member from the legs of the frame.

Comparing the frame structure and crocheting technique of the instant invention with that shown by the prior patents, it is notable that all the Sakurai et a1. patent discloses with respect to the manner of use of the device is that the work is progressively produced by means of a knitting needle of any known or suitable type, with the disclosure being silent as to how the needle is manipulated. Similarly, the Fowler patent indicates use of a knitting needle or similar implement,

with the yarn being passed about the sides of the frame alternately, but with no disclosure as to the manner of manipulation of the knitting needle. The Labouret patent is similarly silent as to any specific manner of manipulation of the needle and frame. Furthermore, as to the unique technique of the present invention involving the repositioning of the spacer member and work simultaneously into a different position on the legs of the frame without removal of the spacer member from the frame, it is notable the Labouret patent does not disclose any spacer member, the spacer member 14 of the Sakurai et a1. device is not repositionable in a different position on the rods, and Fowlers metal brace 7 or are designed to be disengaged from the sides of the frame to facilitate movement of the work (Fowler, page 1, lines 8 1-83). Thus, the crocheting technique of the present invention involving slidable repositioning of the spacer member and work simultaneously without removal of the spacer member is not known in the art and the advantages thereof in terms of knitting efficiency are substantial.

Structurally, the present invention uniquely contributes to the art a crocheting frame expressly designed to be non-snagging and advantageously enabling side-to-side manipulation of the frame without removal of the crocheting needle or hook from the work as the crocheting proceeds, the slidable spacer member being of resilient plastic so as to be non-marring with respect to the frame legs and being configured to be not only readily slidable but also readily removable and repositionable on the rods and with respect to the work so the formed loops of the work can proceed along and off the legs of the frame on a controlled basis. The prior art does not disclose the concept of a non-snagging spacer member on an open-ended crocheting frame which is slidably moved progressively and simultaneously along with the work while the crocheting operation proceeds by manipulation of the knitting needle or hook back and forth through the open end of the frame and without removal of the needle or hook from the work.

.As another feature of the invention, the spacing of the rods is readily adjustable and yet does not present screws, hooks or other adjustment elements that may cause snagging of the yarn.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an isometric, with parts removed for clarity, of a form of crocheting frame embodying the invention and which may be used with the crocheting method of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section of the frame shown in FIG. 1 with the spacer member positioned on the rods of the frame.

FIGS. 3-5 are operational views showing the placement of the spac'er member as the work progresses. FIG. 3 shows the spacer member positioned on the rods a slight distance in from the ends thereof as the work is begun. FIG. 4 shows the spacer member after being slid with the work into an adjusted position further from the ends of the rods than in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 shows the spacer member positioned quite far out on the rods with the completed work approaching the ends of the rods.

FIGS. 6-10 are operational views showing the basic steps employed in making the stitches. FIG. 6 shows the hook about to be passed over the end of a rod as the frame is turned. FIG. 7 shows the position of the hook between the rods as the frame is being turned. FIG. 8 shows the hook beginning another stitch. F IG. 9 shows the hook again about to be passed over the end of a rod. FIG. 10 shows the hook about to make another stitch.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As best shown in FIGS. 6-10, the actual stitches used in carrying out the method are well-known in the art. To form the stitch the yarn 16 is formed into a loop 18 and the loop is centered between the rods of the frame with the yarn from the ball extending around the right rod to the rear of the frame. The hook 20 is put through the loop and the yarn is threaded over the hook and drawn through the loop 18 keeping the loop 18 in the center as shown in FIG. 6. The hook, which is generally in a horizontal position, is then raised slightly, over one of the rods while the frame is simultaneously turned clockwise as indicated by the arrow 23 in FIG. 7. As will be readily understood the hook remains engaged in the yarn and remains held by the hand during the turning movement. FIG. 7 shows the frame while it is being turned from the position shown in FIG. 6 to the position shown in FIG. 8. After turning the frame the yarn is again threaded over the hook and drawn through the loop previously made. This position is shown in FIG. 9. The hook is again raised slightly over one of the rods while the frame is simultaneously turned in the counterclockwise direction. The frame is turned into the position shown in FIG. 10 and the hook is passed through the previously formed loop 26 and the ball end of the yarn is threaded over the hook and drawn through the chain. In other words, two loops are on the hook as they are drawn through the chain. As is well known these steps are repeated with the hook on each occasion being raised just slightly over the end of a rod while the frame is turned. The steps are repeated until the frame is filled with the stitches (sometimes as many as three hundred stitches when an afghan is being made).

A unique feature is shown in FIGS. 3-5. According to this feature, the work may be continuously produced on the frame without removing the hook from the yarn or without removing or releasing the hook from the hand, until the frame is completely filled and with the spacer member being removed from and repositioned on the frame only relatively infrequently. As shown in FIG. 3, several stitches have been made between the ends of the rods and a spacer member 28 that is placed between the rods and a slight distance in from the ends thereof to keep them parallel. This initial spacing from the free ends 'of the rods is indicated by the distance A. The spacer member 28 is quite important since the tension of the stitches as they are drawn tight tends to draw the rods together. If the rods are not maintained parallel the completed work is not uniform. In FIG. 4 the work has progressed farther along the rods and the spacer member and work are slid farther in from the ends of the rods to make room for additional stitches. This new position is indicated by the distance B. By sliding the spacer member and work simultaneously several seconds are saved with each adjustment as compared to frames requiring removal of the spacer member for each adjustment. In FIG. 5 the work has progressed over a substantial portion of the frame and the spacer member is again moved closer to the ends of the rods and within a stitch or two of the end of the work. This is indicated by the distance C. As can be readily seen, the spacer member is at all times close to the stitches being made and may be readily slid or removed and repositioned to any location along the rods. In addition the spacer member allows the frame to remain open so that the hook can be moved over the end of a rod as the frame is turned. Thus the work is made quickly and the spacing, shape and number of stitches may be determined quickly and accurately.

As shown in FIG. 1 the frame includes a base member 30 suitably fabricated of a metal such as steel. Other materials such as high density polyethylene has been found well suited for fabrication of the base member 30. Use of this or like plastic or other material enables the rods to be simply friction fit in the rod receiving holes in the base member 30 without any threads to simplify fabrication and assembly or disassembly during use. A plurality of equally spaced holes 32 are provided in the base member 30 at suitable increments, e.g. one-half inch. This allows several widths of work to be made. In other words, a narrow width can be made with the rods in the two centralmost holes and wider widths may be made with the rods in more widely spaced holes. It is desirable to space the rods from the ends of the base member equal distances to provide better balance while using the frame.

The rods, identified by the reference characters 34 and 36, are suitably identical and suitably fabricated of a metal such as steel or anodized aluminum and of appropriate length, e.g. 18 inches. This length is recommended for making sweaters and afghans and the like which often take over 300 stitches for one length. With the use of the unique spacer member 28 the rods may be maintained parallel throughout this long length. In the form of frame illustrated each rod is threaded at its inner end so that it may be threaded into the threaded holes 32 in the base member 30. Preferably the threads on the ends of the rods are of a length less than the thickness of the base so that the rods do not extend through the base. The rod-to-base connection may also be accomplished by other techniques, such as, threaded blind bores in the base or lock nuts.

The spacer member 28 is suitably fabricated or relatively resilient, flexible plastic, such as nylon or low density polyethylene. A different spacer member is used for each width of lace being made. The spacer member is provided with slots or notches 38 in each end which face oppositely and outwardly along the longitudinal dimension of the member. The end slots are of a width slightly less than the diameter of the rods and of a depth substantially the same as the diameter of the rods so that the slots may be snapped onto the rods with the plastic, due to its inherent resiliency, firmly and frictionally engaging the rods. In this manner the spacing of the rods is maintained parallel. The spacer member is self-engaging until removed and placed in another position and is easily snapped out of the rods and placed in the various positions as shown in FIGS.

Several spacer members 28 of various lengths are employed to accommodate the adjustable widths of the rods 34 and 36. Preferably the frame and spacer members are kept in a kit, not shown, for ready accessibility.

As is readily apparent no nuts, screws or rough places for snagging or catching the yarn is provided. Thus the work may be done quickly since all concentration can be placed on making the stitches rather than keeping the yarn from snagging.

Although the invention has been described in its preferred forms, it is understood that various modifications and changes in the details shown and discussed may be made without departing from the principles thereof and within the scope of the invention as determined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A crocheting device comprising a frame having:

a. a base member;

b. two elongated rods extending upwardly from the base member in generally parallel relation;

0. a resilient plastic spacer member with slotted end portions facing oppositely and outwardly along the longitudinal dimension of the member and positionable in frictional engagement with said rods at any selected distance from said base member and in relation to the completed work formed on the rods, said slotted end portions being configured to be substantially coextensive with and not protrude beyond the rods when the spacer member is in place thereon so the spacer member and rods collectively provide no lateral surface on which the crocheting yarn can snag, the crocheting hook movement being carried on between the portion of the rods above said spacer member and the said spacer member being frictionally slidable to any location on the rods as the crocheting progresses.

2. The device of claim 1', wherein said base member is fabricated of high density polyethylene, said rods are fabricated of anodized aluminum, and said spacer member is fabricated of low density polyethylene. 

1. A crocheting device comprising a frame having: a. a base member; b. two elongated rods extending upwardly from the base member in generally parallel relation; c. a resilient plastic spacer member with slotted end portions facing oppositely and outwardly along the longitudinal dimension of the member and positionable in frictional engagement with said rods at any selected distance from said base member and in relation to the completed work formed on the rods, said slotted end portions being configured to be substantially coextensive with and not protrude beyond the rods when the spacer member is in place thereon so the spacer member and rods collectively provide no lateral surface on which the crocheting yarn can snag, the crocheting hook movement being carried on between the portion of the rods above said spacer member and the said spacer member being frictionally slidable to any location on the rods as the crocheting progresses.
 2. The device oF claim 1, wherein said base member is fabricated of high density polyethylene, said rods are fabricated of anodized aluminum, and said spacer member is fabricated of low density polyethylene. 